Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-06-09
WAS HE A MAN OF DESTINY
An Iowa Soldier Whose Wouuda frighten-
ed Railroad Out Of a Lawsuit.


One of the most remarkable railroad
damage cases on record is that OF ID. H.
Mckinley of Usage. Iowa, against the
Northwestern. Mckinley was huge
man, powerful and athletic One day.
wears ago, when it was customary to
reserve a car in. each passenger train
for ladies and their escorts. he left his
sachel in n seat at Harvard, Ill, and
returned to the platform to bid his
friends good-by. Upon attempting to
re-enter the car the brakeman stopped
him with the query: ''Ladyin the car,
sirP"
mo. but / have a grip" u
Cant lei you I'M. it's against the
rules"
''Drat the rulesl'' and with that Nc
KInley forced his way through the door.
Just as he passed, the brakeman hit
him terrific blow on the left shoulder.
fracturing the bone ia three places.
Mckinley turned, picked the brakeman
up with the right hand. dashed him to
the floor, and nearly tramped the lungs
out of him. Then he stepped into the
first law Office he came TO and began
suit for $25,000 Tho railroad attorney
to whom the defense was committed
had some difficulty in looking up Nc
Kinley's record. until quite accidentally
one day he met an old Iowa friend who
was well acquainted with the defendant.
why, Mckinley" said the Iowa
man, 'was one of the bravest, and at
the same time one of the most unfortu-
nate. of soldiers. If he hadn't the con-
stitution of cat he'd have been dead
years ago; and if his wounds hadn't
kept him in the hospital SO long he
would have graduated from the rebell-
ION brigadier instead of captain.
He was marvellous fighter. Mckinley
started out private with the 9Th Iowa
in 1861. Ho led II charge at Blue Mills,
Missouri, and was shot through both
legs. He was promoted TO leutcnancy
for gallantry, and upon leaving the
hospital in July, 1862. was assigned TO
the oath Iowa infantry, then forming.
His next setback was down in the Vcks-
burg campaign. At Champion Hill u
shell exploded over him, one piece
crashing through his face, near the
right nostrl, and lodging in his throat,
another unfolding itself in his brain.
Inserting finger, he coolly picked the
piece out of his throat and then col
lapscd. 1t took months and months to
restore him. The iron never was taken
out of his brain, and eventually Il run
ming sore came in the roof of his mouth.
He rcjoined us in November. 1868, at
New Iberia, in southwestern louisiana.
The day he returned to duty his COM
pany happened TO be stationed near the
drum corps in dress parade. At tho
first beat on the drums an unearthly
yell escaped hlm and he fell to the
ground almost dead from nervous pros
tration. He was returned to the hospi-
tai. Again he set out in the spring of
1864 to join his command, which was
following the unfortunate Banks through
the Red river campaign, The steamer
conveying him up the river was attack
ed above Alexandria and riddled. He
escaped with bullet wound through
the right arm, but he had TO 60 back 10
the hospital.
II never saw Mckinley again until
our regiment got around in Virginia.
He returned to us in the Sheridan cam
paign. BY this time the boys had all
come to regard him us n 'hoodoo,' and
the first word that passed. along the line
was: Mckinley is back; look out for n
fight, Tho battle of Fisher Hill follow.
ed, but he went through it yaliantly
without sustaining so much as scratch.
Then We thought that perhaps he had
struck the limit and his luck had chang
cd, The night following we were pur.
Suing the enemy down the turnpike
| Everybody supposed there wasu cavalry
depioy ahead. and we were marching
lisiIessly. waiting for the echoes o: an
engagement AS We were plodding NJ
detilc volley of artillery and enough
musketry to keep it respectable com
pany struck us square from the front
The confcderates were intrenched n
the summit of the knoll which the pike
crossed. Every one fell Hat and crawl
ed out the best way he could. Th'
rebels were nfteward dislodged, and re
treated with our corps in pursuit
Among the killed and wounded Nc
Kinley was found, shot through tho hil
twice and his thigh bone broken. wa
left with another drummer to take car
of him until morning. He was PLACED
with twelve other wounded men in ;
cabin at Edinburgh. About midnigh
Mosby, prowling in our rear, raided III
town. Myself and chum crawled unde
the cabin. Tho guerrillas walked up Il
the door and fired volley into the dy
ing men. Eight of them were killed
At least dozen holes were shot throug
McKinley's cot and covering, but h
had received his last wound of the wal
to tho close of which he was confined il
the hospital.
THE next time [ heard of McKinlr
was at Cedar Rapids in 1867. 1t w.
during the state fair. One mornin
scanning local newspaper, l read Ina
he was there representing the Belo
Roofing Paper company. He was super
intending the unloading of u car full {
the paper, for exhibition, when u car,
less running switch threw car agains
the ono in which he was working
knocking him down and breaking
(, leg. Two winters afterward his tcai
ran away with him at Usage and Ii
had three ribs broken in the wreck.
ANY further casualties that you kno
OFF" asked the attorney
Il Il understand that he met with tw
serious accidents when II young mar
but l am not familiar with the details.
"W-e-l-l, ] guess we don't want ;ln